An Ordinary Promise
by LadyZeia
Summary: At the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Games, Haru anticipates the fulfillment of a promise made with Rin. Fluffy one-shot/three parts. Adult situations, some language. Olympic Free - Rin/AUS, Haru/JPN. RinHaru.
1. Olympic Present

An Ordinary Promise

Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters from _Free! Iwatobi Swim Club_. I just love them a lot.

Also, this has nothing to do with any *real life* Olympians.

* * *

Chapter 1: Olympic Present

* * *

Paris – August, 2024

* * *

Haru felt it the moment he touched the wall, when he surfaced from the embrace of the water to the deafening roar of the crowds from the stands, before he ever saw his time or knew whether or not they'd won—

His last Olympic race was over.

Holding the side of the pool with one hand, he stripped off his cap and goggles with the other, shaking the droplets from his head. The burning in his lungs slowly eased with each inhale of the chlorinated air. In the lane to his left, joyous splashing and celebrating told him who had earned gold. Rin was hauled from the water by the other members of the Australian medley relay team—massive, blond, and young, all three of them.

Haru closed his eyes for a moment as he bobbed in the water that lapped at his shoulders, savoring this new, unfamiliar feeling. _I'm finally ordinary._ He smiled to himself.

"Nanase."

He looked up into the face of his teammate, Ryuji, who'd had the butterfly leg before him. Takada Ryuji, raven-haired and twenty-two, was smiling and looking proud, though the expression didn't fully veil the disappointment Haru also saw there. He extended a hand and Haru grasped it, letting himself be helped out of the pool. They and the other two members of the Japanese medley relay team embraced briefly—quick hugs, pats on the back, quiet words of encouragement—celebrating a silver medal that was a worthy victory in its own right. Still, Haru's teammates looked a little put out by the raucous celebration of the Australians next to them.

Rin was in the center of that sloppy, loud, adrenaline-charged embrace, dwarfed by his three larger teammates. Haru watched briefly, the sunlight through the glass ceiling of the _Centre Aquatique d'Aubervilliers_ glistening off droplets of water that clung to the hair and skin of the hopping men, figuring Rin would lose it and start crying in about ten seconds. The large display screen suspended behind the glossy warmup pool flashed their overall and individual times. Haru's time was still good—very good—but no longer spectacular. The competition got faster and younger every year (or seemed to, but it was also true he was getting older). His shoulders throbbed like they always did after a race, but the pain didn't fade as quickly anymore. Instead, it lingered—particularly in his left shoulder. The beginnings of a rotator cuff tear, Haru's doctor said before he left Japan. It would only get worse, even to the point of requiring surgery, if he continued to push at this level.

Athletes milled around behind the starting blocks of the fifty-meter pool in the emotional aftermath of the race, talking, celebrating, shaking hands; others just breathing and quietly taking it all in. Film crews with video cameras were everywhere, stretching for close-ups while trying not to be in the way. The crowds in the stands were still cheering, many of them on their feet—a sea of camera flashes and waving flags.

"Haru—" Damp arms messily encircled his shoulders, Rin crashing against him. Haru only caught a glimpse of the troubled mix of emotions on Rin's face amidst strands of wet, wine-red hair, but he felt the warm droplets that landed on the curve of his neck.

He lifted one hand, touching Rin's shoulder. By the way Rin was standing, Haru could tell Rin's back was bothering him again. One dream was ending for both of them. Rin shook a little against him, not saying anything else. Closing his eyes, Haru shut out the sunlit white-blue world, the cameras and crowds…everyone else but Rin.

-x-

It was a short bus ride from the aquatic centre in Aubervilliers to the Olympic Village on _L'Île-Saint-Denis_. At the security checkpoint, officials came onboard, verifying everyone's credentials before the bus was allowed to continue onto the village grounds. Haru followed his teammates off the bus and across the walkway towards the high-rise buildings, a bit of a breeze ruffling the collar of his white and red warmups, sifting through his black hair. He carried his bag of gear, slung across his chest. It was early evening, halfway through the games overall, but the swimming events were done. Among the athletes converging on the village after the day's events, it was easy to tell who was done competing and who wasn't—those who were lounging, flirting, and kicking back, versus those who were grumbling, shooting dirty looks at the others, and heading directly for the cafeterias or training rooms. Haru and the rest of the Japanese swim team were flying out in the morning.

The younger members of the Japanese team—both the women and the men—were chatting excitedly in low voices, eying other athletes who were done competing and being eyed back. For many of them, it was their first Olympics. They were wide-eyed innocents between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four with no real idea of what they were getting themselves into. Haru kept his eyes forward, ignoring the looks that settled on his person. He remembered Rio, eight years ago, all too clearly. Spending the night on the floor in the bathroom with his roommate, taking turns heaving up their guts into the commode… He hadn't touched tequila since.

Haru paused to draw a breath before heading into the building, bracing himself for the mayhem that was sure to be inside. The lobby was stuffed with athletes who were drinking and hanging out, relatively calm over all. He rode the elevator up to the seventeenth floor with the others. Even before the doors opened, he could hear the shrieks and laughter, the shouting. The seventeenth floor lobby was a warzone with water balloons flying back and forth— _prophylactic_ water balloons—sailing between two groups of athletes who had upended the lobby furniture for barricades. Others were mixing drinks, making out, or both. Haru walked around the stunned members of his team, dodging the water balloons, and headed down the hall.

It was slightly quieter towards the end of the hall, likely because most of the athletes were otherwise occupied. In the room that he shared with Ryuji, Haru dumped his gear on the bottom bunk. He changed from his team warmups into street clothes—a blue T-shirt and dark pants—and headed out onto the balcony. A slight breeze sifted through his now-dry hair. It was hours before sunset; the temperature was pleasantly mild, unlike the thick humidity that awaited him at home. A slight haze had settled over Paris. From here, to the southeast, only the top of the Eiffel Tower was visible, jutting into the sky in the distance, between and behind other buildings.

Ryuji came in a few moments later and began shucking off his clothes. "Nanase, the Netherlands' relay team invited us to dinner."

Haru glanced at him. By the starry-eyed look on Ryuji's face, Haru guessed it was the women's relay team. He shook his head. "No thanks."

Ryuji frowned as he got dressed. "Your last Olympics and you're not going to let loose a little?"

He just shook his head again, not bothering to answer. The kids could do what they wanted. Haru turned back to the balcony, leaning forward with his elbows propped on the cool, metal rail. Fighting off women (or men, for that matter) wasn't his idea of a relaxing evening.

He heard Ryuji sigh. "Fine. Suit yourself." Ryuji puttered around the room for a few more minutes.

Then there was a knock at the door.

Haru inhaled, stilling and listening as Ryuji opened the door.

"Matsuoka."

Rin's voice answered. "Takada."

"I was, uh, just leaving. Excuse me."

Haru turned as Ryuji flashed him a cheesy grin and fled from the room. The kid's face had been slightly red in the cheeks.

Rin rolled his eyes and leaned against the open door with his hands in his pockets. He wore black pants with a dark gray T-shirt and a lightweight, hooded sweatshirt. A baseball cap shadowed his eyes; a pair of sunglasses hanging from the neck of his shirt.

Haru stepped back into the room, quietly trying to decipher Rin's face while his heart thudded in his chest. It wasn't like they hadn't seen each other every day for the past week-plus, at the pool, at meals, in the gym. But tonight was different. The competition was over. There were no more medals to be won. They hadn't exactly talked about what would happen now. Not since that night at the Tokyo Olympics, four years ago. Trepidation and uncertainty gnawed at him…but he'd know, one way or another, before this evening was over.

There was a squeal outside. Rin flinched into the room as yet another water balloon went sailing past, straight down the hallway. He scowled, pushing hair back from his face. "Let's get outta here, Haru."

Haru nodded, grabbing shades and a sweatshirt and following Rin into the hall.

They left the village and merged with the crowds of spectators, sponsors, and the media outside. Blending in was pretty easy when the outside world only recognized you in a swimsuit and swim cap, naked and dripping wet otherwise. Unless he opened his mouth, anyways. Haru had only learned about five words in French; his English was barely passable. He mostly relied on Rin.

"What do you want to eat?" Rin asked as they walked along a narrow, cobblestone street, peering into various cafes and other establishments.

"Mackerel."

Rin flicked his eyes skyward. " _Tch_."

Haru looked at him. "Why do you ask when you know the answer?"

Rin tugged on the strap of his hat and grinned. "The day I don't ask, you'll surprise me. Come on." He grabbed Haru's arm, steering him into a doorway. "Try ordering it yourself tonight. _Maquereaux._ "

Haru exhaled softly, letting himself be led inside.

-x-

After dinner, they walked along the River Seine, within the village grounds but in a quieter area near the buildings the housed most of the coaches and trainers. Haru was pleasantly full of _maquereaux au vin blanc_ (mackerel in white wine; make that _nine_ French words he knew) though the wait staff had been quite affronted that he only wanted an appetizer for dinner (two of them) and not a regular course. He trailed slightly behind Rin, their path paneled in light and shadow from the trees. It was after nine PM. With the sun just setting—orange and fiery red and teal over the Parisian skyline—they'd both removed their sunglasses.

The…anxiety Haru had felt before returned. It only grew as the memories of another night pressed in upon him. They'd been by the bay, that night, instead of a river. The sound of the Seine's steady current was different from the softly lapping waves and placid waters of Tokyo Bay. It had been one of the defining moments of his life, that night—like the first relay he'd swam with Rin in grade school or the day Rin announced he was transferring to a school in Australia. His high school memories were a staccato of races won and lost, confrontations and teamwork. The years after that were a blur of training, study, and competitions, punctuated by Olympic milestones. Medals, yes, but the more important memories to Haru were a kiss in Rio…and a promise in Tokyo.

Haru stopped walking. What if Rin had changed his mind? The fear made his heart pound and his palms grow clammy. Four years and five thousand miles' distance. Nothing ever felt different when they were together, but that didn't mean things were necessarily the same. Just because _he_ felt ordinary, he shouldn't assume that Rin also…

Rin stopped and glanced back at him. "Haru?" He turned slightly, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his sweatshirt.

Haru swallowed, his hands curling at his sides as he forced the words out. "…Do you still want to?" As soon as he heard his own quiet voice, he started second-guessing himself. Rin might not even remember. He should've asked about Rin's back, or how he felt after today's relay or— Haru turned away, towards the river, embarrassed by his own awkwardness. At twenty-eight, shouldn't he have grown out of that already?

There was a moment of painful silence, broken only by the sound of Rin's athletic shoes against the pavement.

"What? Like I'm gonna back out?" Arms encircled him from behind, Rin's chest warm against his back.

Haru inhaled sharply, his eyes full of the river gliding past, the wind gently catching the unzipped panels of his sweatshirt.

"Don't talk like that." The brim of Rin's cap tapped the back of his head as Rin pressed his face into Haru's hair. "I'm coming home, Haru."

Haru's breath slipped out unsteadily as all of his jumbled, nervous feelings vanished in an instant, replaced by a glow that spread through his chest, through his body. He lifted one hand, clutching one of Rin's arms tightly, and smiled. "Rin."

* * *

A/N: As of this writing, Paris is one of four candidate cities for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The others are Los Angeles, Budapest, and Rome.


	2. Olympic Past

Chapter 2: Olympic Past

* * *

 _Eight years ago_ – Rio, 2016

* * *

"Haru." Rin was shaking him. "Come on. Wake up, damnit."

With a soft groan, Haru tried to push Rin away. "I'm fine," he mumbled, his cheek pressed against the smooth, black tile of the bathroom floor. Hell of a place to wake up—curled up between the tub and the toilet in yesterday's clothes. _Damnit_. He felt like shit. He'd drunk how much? Haru blinked against the blindingly bright light in the room, his fingers curling around Rin's wrist while the world spun behind his eyelids.

" _Tch_." Rin grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him into a sitting position with his legs out in front of him, braced upright with his back against the tub. "What the fuck happened to you? I was looking for you all night."

"I _said_ I was fine." Haru rubbed his throbbing forehead with one hand. "Just…stupid."

Rin was crouched over him, a blurry form in a gray T-shirt, black warmup pants, and sandals. The arms that clutched him were tense; Rin was scowling at him with a mix of anger and irritation on his face, but those fatigue-shadowed eyes were worried.

Haru dropped his hand, glancing aside. "How'd you get in here?"

"The door was open."

"Oh."

"Where's your roommate?"

Haru glanced at the bathroom floor on the other side of the toilet, where he'd last seen Kawamura. "Dunno. What time is it?"

"Early." Rin's face clouded, his voice quieting. "No one could tell me where you'd gone or who with. I looked everywhere." Rin sat back against his ankles and Haru's knees, exhaustion taking over on his face.

"I was here the whole time," Haru said as Rin's hands fell away from his shoulders.

"Why'd you leave?"

He wasn't going to answer that. The party had gotten out of hand, but clothes flying and watching random people drunkenly hook up wasn't why he'd needed to get out of there. "Get off," he mumbled. "I need to take a shower."

Rin's crimson eyes rolled towards the ceiling, annoyance flashing across his face. "Like you can even stand on your own right now."

Haru didn't fight or protest when Rin helped him to his feet, bracing him against the sink.

Rin pushed Haru's warmup jacket off his shoulders. "I'm surprised you're still in all of your clothes. Weren't they all over you last night?"

"They tried." Haru pressed his lips. "I didn't like them touching me."

Rin paused in the middle of pulling off Haru's T-shirt. "But this is OK?"

 _Because it's you._ "Yeah." Haru closed his eyes briefly, his head still pounding. He lifted his arms obediently as Rin tugged the shirt off over his head.

But when Rin touched his waistband, he inhaled involuntarily. Rin's fingers leapt from his skin.

 _Damnit_. Haru looked away, warmth burning in his cheeks. "I'll do it." He peeled off his own pants, stripping down to his swimsuit.

Rin snorted as he reached around the glass wall to get the shower going. "You're still wearing that?"

Haru glared at him. "Like you're not wearing yours?" He pushed his way past Rin to the shower, but his body was still fighting him. Stubbing one foot on the wooden mat in front of the tub, he stumbled, nearly pitching into the wall head-first.

Rin's arm shot out, catching him. "Good grief…" A growl of exasperation left Rin's throat. "The buses leave in less than an hour."

"No one said you had to be here," Haru said, clutching the edge of the glass wall to steady himself.

Those crimson eyes narrowed in a brief glare; then Rin was shucking off his clothes one-handed—everything except the ankle-length black and red swimsuit he was indeed wearing.

Haru just sighed as Rin ducked under his left arm and wrapped an arm around his waist, helping him climb into the tub. The warm spray soaked their hair and ran in rivulets down their bodies.

"What were you thinking? Fucking yourself up this bad?" Rin's grip tightened around his left wrist.

Haru tensed, walling himself off emotionally as images of last night flashed through his head. Rin, on the couch, laughing and flirting with four members of the United States women's swim team. But the words spilled from his lips before he could stop them. "You spent the night with them? The Americans."

Rin blinked, looking at him. "Those girls? No, we just talked. They were waiting for the rest of my team. Not me."

 _Right_. _It sure looked like that when they were taking turns climbing into your lap._ Haru pulled away. He was steady enough now, bracing his hands against the wall of the shower, letting the water run through his hair, down his back.

"Haru. …That upset you?" Rin paused when he didn't answer. "Don't tell me you're jealous."

Haru's eyes widened. Was he? But he knew the answer. He hadn't gone off to drink himself into a stupor for any other reason. Seeing Rin like that, with those girls…did something to him. _How did this happen? When did I decide to fuck everything up and start feeling something for you?_

Sighing, Rin leaned against the glass wall next to Haru, folding his arms. "It's disgusting. All the bed hopping and heavy drinking. Athletes not caring what they do to their bodies." He lowered his voice. "Using each other like it doesn't matter. Like it doesn't mean anything."

Haru straightened, turning slightly, the water pounding his shoulders, flowing liquid across his skin. "That's the point, isn't it?"

Rin didn't look at him. When he spoke, his voice was barely loud enough to be heard over the hiss of the water. "I don't want my first time to be like that. Cheap. Meaningless. With some stranger."

Haru's hands clenched at his sides, watching Rin's lips move, tormented by the thought of that mouth running over the bodies of those girls. He turned his head away, the words coming out bitterly cold. "So get to know them first. Fall in love."

Hands grabbed his arms, shoving him against the slick shower wall; the air rushed from Haru's lungs.

"Don't, Haru." Rin's fingers bit into his skin. "Not _you_." Damp strands of wine-colored hair stuck to Rin's face, falling in his eyes but not hiding the turbulent storm of anger and hurt Haru saw there.

Haru blinked, his heart thudding in his chest. "Not…me?" Rin's earlier words echoed in his ears. _I was looking for you all night._

Rin's eyes widened, his grip faltering. There was a flash of fear on his face, as if he'd said something he hadn't meant to. A blush scattered across his cheeks and he immediately drew back.

Haru caught Rin by the elbows, an impulse he couldn't stop. This couldn't really be happening. He was dreaming or something, though the nerves doing cartwheels in his stomach said otherwise. With his heart pulsing in his throat, he tugged Rin back against him, certain this moment would never come again. Still, he hesitated with their faces close together, giving Rin the opportunity to push him away—

He wasn't sure which of them crossed the distance first, but their lips met beneath the warm, incessant spray. It was a soft clash of mouths with the water running down their faces, hands grasping each other's arms. When he tightened the embrace, Rin didn't pull away. Instead, wet fingers curled against the back of his neck, threading through soaked strands of hair. With that one kiss, everything in Haru's world changed.

A loud knock and the pointed clearing of a throat broke them apart. "Nanase, we gotta be downstairs in ten!"

"I know," Haru called back, breathless and _pissed_.

Kawamura's footsteps retreated into the room.

Rin's flush had darkened, his expression stunned with an undercurrent of apprehension. His hands fell back to his sides as he drew deep breaths.

Haru turned off the water, his mouth and skin still burning from their embrace. "I'm not drunk anymore, Rin. I did that on purpose." He shook the water from his hair. Meeting his friend's gaze, he laid it all out on the line. They were both leaving after all—there wouldn't be any more time. "I think I've wanted to do that for a while."

"Haru…" Rin's eyes widened momentarily. Then his face clouded. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

Haru moved past Rin, carefully climbing out of the tub and snagging a towel. He felt Rin's gaze follow him as he dried off and left the bathroom.

* * *

 _Four years ago_ – Tokyo, 2020

* * *

As the night wore on, Haru slipped away from all the celebrations and mayhem. He and his three teammates were national heroes for claiming gold in today's medley relay on home soil, but as soon as the initial rush of victory faded, reality cast its shadow over everything in Haru's world. Rin was leaving tomorrow. Again.

He made his way onto the roof of the Olympic Village building his team had been housed in, facing the northwest, watching the steadily blinking red lights that topped every skyscraper in the Tokyo skyline, the glowing lights of Tokyo Tower, and the shifting of colors on the Rainbow Bridge to the west, all against a dark indigo sky. The reflections of the lights danced in the ink-colored water off Harumi wharf, where the village was located. His feelings hadn't changed exactly; rather the intensity of his emotions towards Rin surprised him. But that only made saying goodbye more and more impossible. A humid evening breeze ruffled his chlorine-laden hair, the panels of his warmup jacket. There were benches up here, dotting the paths and greenery that snaked between camouflaged HVAC units and other building utility accesses. A safety fence ran along the edge of the roof, high enough that no one would drunkenly fall over it—a good call by the village designers.

Haru curled his fingers into the linkages of the fence, leaning his forehead against the back of his hand. He tried not to think about tomorrow, but the more he tried to avoid it, the more his mind fixated. _It seems like all we ever do is say goodbye._

Footsteps intruded on his solitude—familiar ones. Rin had found him. _Since when did you get so damned adept at appearing and disappearing from my life?_

"Haru."

He straightened from the fence, but didn't turn.

Rin approached, stopping a few feet from him. "You've been distant, Haru. Lately."

Haru looked down at the water, at the skyline's reflection across the placid bay. _Have I been?_ It wasn't like he'd been intentionally avoiding Rin, but…

"It's something I did."

He closed his eyes. No, that wasn't it at all. It was nothing in particular Rin had done. Or, at least, nothing that Haru could fault him for.

"Haru." Rin's hand landed warm on his shoulder.

He flinched away at the sudden pulse of longing and fear and resentment that he felt. It was an automatic reaction; he hadn't meant to—

"That's what I mean." Rin's words came out quietly, strained.

 _No, I—_ Haru looked at him.

Rin's face was shadowed by the strands of wine-colored hair that fell in his eyes. Haru's chest tightened at the hurt he saw there.

"It's not…" But the words died inside him. How could you tell someone that he had become your world? How could you tell him that it ripped your heart out of your chest, whenever you were apart? And that tomorrow would only begin another painful separation that you couldn't bear to face? When the pain was so bad you couldn't even enjoy _right now_ …that every moment you spent together just made it worse?

Haru didn't know how to say all of those things. It wasn't that he wasn't willing or didn't want to… He'd _never_ been able to express those things. The turbulent feelings inside of him didn't _have_ words. It was pictures, longings, and wishes locked deep inside—burning and bursting inside him. But it couldn't come out—not in words. Haru stood there, facing Rin, paralyzed by the emotions coursing through him. He never expected to feel this way; that the four years since Rio would've changed things this much.

Tiny wet droplets hit his cheeks—not rain. _Am I…crying?_ It surprised him—he felt no tightness in his throat or sting in his eyes. Yet…

Rin's eyes widened. "Haru." He stepped close, warm hands clasping Haru's shoulders and shaking him gently. " _Tch_. What are you crying for?"

Haru squeezed his eyes shut as longing surged through his frame. "Rin…" He reached up, desperate fingers encircling Rin's triceps and pulling. Their noses bumped in jarring fashion before their lips met. Haru felt Rin start with surprise at first…then relax.

When Haru drew back, loosening his hold, Rin sighed.

"You idiot." Rin slung one arm around Haru's neck in a headlock, drawing him close. "If you're gonna miss me, just say so."

Haru shook his head as much as Rin's hold would allow. _I can't._

Rin said nothing for a few moments. Haru leaned against him, listening to the lapping of the water in the bay; a boat's horn sounding off in the distance. The pain inside started to ease, just a little—

"…It's not gonna be forever, Haru. The World Championships next year—"

His throat closed that time. Haru pushed Rin away and turned—

But Rin's hand wrapped around his wrist. Haru's eyes went wide as he was yanked and then shoved, his back hitting the fence at the edge of the roof.

Rin trapped him there, pinning his wrists against the fence, one foot wedged between Haru's, giving him no place to escape to. "Damnit, Haru." Rin's gaze pierced him. "I'm not letting you go until you tell me—"

"It's not enough!" The words erupted from his throat, exploding from his heart and not from his head. "Why don't you get it? It's never enough." _Seeing you only a little._ He twisted his hands, breaking Rin's hold—

But Rin planted a hand square against his chest, instead. "Tell me, then, Haru." Rin lowered his voice. "What's enough?"

Haru's eyes first widened, then fell. Enough was…so many things. So many wonderful feelings and wishes stuffed inside him—

Rin kissed him that time—a firm, demanding press of lips. Haru's fingers curled into the fence, his anger unraveling, a sigh he couldn't contain sounding deep in his throat. When it was over, he couldn't breathe. Rin's hands clutched his arms, just above the elbows. That crown of burgundy hair bent, the top of Rin's head bumping his chest.

Rin's breath was warm, his words mumbled against the fabric of Haru's shirt. "Tell me what's enough."

Haru drew a hard breath and exhaled slowly. "Ordinary things. Mornings. Evenings. Swimming just because we want to. Cooking, running along the beach. Coming home to someplace that's ours—" His voice broke on that thought, the momentum of words coming to an abrupt halt. "…I don't know. Future things. Forever things."

Rin straightened, astonishment in his eyes. "Haru…"

Haru looked away. His face burned beneath Rin's scrutiny.

Fingers caught the edge of his jaw, turning his face back. Rin's expression had become a smirk. "Haru…did you just propose to me?"

Haru's hands twitched against the fence, his lips parting, his eyes growing wide. Had he just?

Rin snorted a little, but Haru gathered himself. He wouldn't take back those words. Instead, he stepped forward. "Yes."

Rin's face blanked with shock, the wind slicing through the strands of his wine-colored hair. For a moment, his mouth gaped… Then those crimson eyes glistened with emotion. "Haru…" Rin crashed against him, arms engulfing him. They slammed into the fence, causing it to shudder and ring slightly.

Rin held him so tightly it was hard to even breathe. "Haru, let's promise," Rin said, his face buried into Haru's hair. "When we're both ordinary, I'll come home. To you. To us."

Those words melted him. Haru drew a ragged breath, grasping Rin to him, watching the lights of the village, the Harumi waterfront, the Tokyo skyline, all blur into streaks of color as his eyes burned.

"Deal?" Rin drew back, his crimson gaze searching Haru's face, bright with apprehension.

Haru slanted his mouth over Rin's, the pain of tomorrow drowning beneath the warmth welling inside him—the promise of _someday_. "Deal."


	3. For the Future

Chapter 3: For the Future

* * *

Tokyo – September, 2024

* * *

In ten years, Haru had learned to smile well enough for the cameras that he didn't look like an emo teenager in the photos anymore. But he still avoided the media at all costs. The two weeks after he returned to Japan with the Japanese Olympic swim team were a blur of polite ceremonies and photo ops. It wasn't nearly the same level of fanfare they'd received for the gold medal in the 2020 medley relay (Rin's Aussies had taken silver that year, but gold back in Rio), but the team's individual medal count was still high. Haru had—barely—eked out a gold in the 100-meter freestyle against Rin, but for the first time, the rest of the pack (all much younger) had been right up with them. He'd taken bronze in the 200-meter freestyle and another silver in the freestyle medley. The color of the medals didn't mean anything to him. They all went in a box back home, with the medals from Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016. He did little better than sleep walk through those two weeks, until the day he was finally sitting on a bullet train, headed from Iwatobi back to Tokyo.

Haru watched the sun rising over Mount Fuji, fully awake despite the early hour. His body was still on and off confused about which time zone he was in. It was nighttime in Paris. He wore a blue and white T-shirt—one of his favorites—and comfortable black pants.

Next to him, Makoto yawned and stirred.

Haru glanced at his sandy-haired friend. "Sorry to drag you out to sleep on a train." He was aware of how ridiculous it was to make a six-hour train ride when he could've flown instead, but flying was irritating. No matter how polite the Japanese flight attendants were, fans always hounded him, scenes were made. It was much easier (and quieter) to buy a nameless train ticket and slip onboard without anyone recognizing him. Plus, with Rin on a nine-hour plane ride, it was nice to share a bit of the travel burden and not pop in annoyingly fresh and well-rested.

Makoto smiled back at him, stretching a little, his T-shirt shifting across his muscles as he moved. "It's fun to go by train sometimes. I don't mind, Haru-chan."

Haru exhaled. "Ten years out of high school and you're still using _-chan_ with my name?"

Makoto just smiled innocently. "Do we need to stop by your apartment before heading to the airport?"

He glanced up at his bag and jacket on the luggage shelf above the window and shook his head. "I have what I need. I never really unpacked."

Makoto nodded and yawned again, leaning back in his seat. He drifted off almost immediately. Haru returned to watching the scenery rush past the window.

They switched trains at Tokyo Station, taking the express train out to Narita airport. It was midday when they arrived. The agent at the security checkpoint fortunately didn't bat an eyelash as Haru showed his ID to access the international terminal; he and Makoto passed through quietly.

As they rode the escalators up to the first floor international arrival lobby, reality hit him square in the face. Haru clutched the strap of his bag, the words spilling out beneath his breath. "I'm really doing this."

"I'm surprised you waited this long, Haru," Makoto said from behind him.

Haru didn't answer. He knew why; Rin knew why, too. Haru could never ask Rin to give up on a dream for his sake, for his dream. _I never thought I'd love someone more than water._

They stepped out onto the first floor, Haru's gaze immediately scanning the crowds, looking for a familiar red-haired frame. His nerves prickled with anticipation; a good kind of anxiety.

"It looks like Rin's plane just landed," Makoto said, stopping in front of the arrivals display board. "This is like the time I met the two of you here, just before Nationals in high school." He smiled. "You remember, Haru?"

He nodded. For many reasons, he'd never forget that trip to Sydney. For one, he and Makoto had fought, just before he left. Coming home to Japan and being welcomed back by his best friend… Haru inhaled, glancing away. "Makoto. Thanks for being here."

"I'd never say 'no' to this, Haru." Makoto walked past him, headed for the exit from customs.

Haru followed.

-x-

They waited on the edge of the crowds, back from the quivering sign-holding masses. Haru slipped on his shades to be safe.

"You look more conspicuous that way," Makoto said, chuckling.

"I do not." Haru continually scanned those exiting, quietly searching. The minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness. He knew immigration and customs always took a while, particularly with the extra forms Rin would have to fill out with his Australian passport. Still—

Haru kind of forgot how to breathe when he saw a flash of wine-colored hair. Rin wore a black T-shirt with a red and white shark outline on the front, over dark gray pants with a large black duffle bag slung over his shoulder. His baseball cap was pulled low and he peered over the top of his sunglasses.

 _Rin._ Haru's lips formed the name, but no sound came out.

"Rin!" Makoto's instructor voice carried easily over the crowd; he waved until Rin spotted them.

Rin adjusted his sunglasses, his grin flashing teeth as he made his way through the mass of people towards them.

Haru's throat closed with heat. He had trouble swallowing; his eyes stung a little. _Rin._

Their eyes met and Rin gave him a kind of knowing look before he turned to greet the sandy-haired man at Haru's side. "Makoto! How long has it been? Two, three years?"

"At least," Makoto said. The two clasped hands and leaned in for a quick hug.

"How's your wife and the kids?"

"Good. Ayane's four now—"

"Four?!"

"Hiro's almost two."

Rin shook his head. "I can't believe so much has happened. Gou keeps sending me pictures of her and Mikoshiba's little rug rat; the kid's growing like a weed. Not to mention, they're expecting their second in a couple months…"

Makoto nodded, pantomiming with one hand. "Your sister's out to here. And cranky. The heat, you know."

Rin laughed. "Thanks for the warning." His face smoothed. "I missed a lot, being gone." He looked at Haru.

Haru looked back at him, clutching the strap of his bag, so many emotions rolling over and over inside him that he couldn't even move.

Makoto glanced at him. "You're not gonna hug him, Haru?" he asked quietly.

Haru shook his head. He couldn't—not here. _Because I won't be able to let go._

Rin smiled at him, reading his face. He reached for Haru's hand. "I'm home, Haru."

Haru inhaled deeply, grasping those fingers tightly, his eyes burning behind his shades. "Welcome home."

-x-

On the express train back into Tokyo, Rin sat at the window, Haru beside him. Japanese social etiquette be damned, he hadn't let go of Rin's hand and wasn't planning to anytime soon. Rin nodded off almost as soon as they sat down—he'd never been good at sleeping on airplanes—and his head rested comfortably on Haru's left shoulder.

Haru couldn't stop looking at their intertwined fingers, his mind struggling to process it all. _This is happening. This is real. Rin's really here with me_. There was a welling of emotion in his chest that he wasn't at all sure how to deal with.

A sniffle across from them drew his attention. Haru looked up; Makoto sat in the seat facing him, smiling and spreading his fingers in an apologetic gesture.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just… I've never seen you this happy, Haru-chan."

Haru's breath came out in a huff. "Again with the _-chan_." But he _was_ happy. Very happy. He fought the urge to smile and lost.

They took the express train all the way to Shibuya station, stuffed their luggage into a locker, and used the underground tunnels as much as possible before heading outside into the stifling September humidity.

Beside Haru, Rin plucked at the front of his T-shirt, scowling a little.

"It's hotter at home," Makoto said, smiling.

"I didn't miss that part," Rin said.

They headed for the city office, a five-story structure of dark gray bricks with a curved wall of windows and a clock tower out front with a tall, lavender frame.

Haru drew a deep breath, staring at the entrance and the stream of people entering and exiting.

Rin glanced at him. "You're not wussing out on me, are you?"

Haru frowned. "No."

Makoto smiled and moved past them, holding the door.

Haru entered first, scanning the signs and the various lines and stations.

A clerk in uniform bowed to him as he entered. "How can I direct you, sir?" she asked.

Haru slipped off his sunglasses and cleared his throat, his face feeling a little warm. "Marriage registration."

"Of course." She bowed again. "Right this way, please."

The clerk led them a table with a stack of forms and helped him find the right one.

Haru drew a breath and started in, writing carefully, registering as the head of their new household. When he was done, he checked everything over, making sure he'd written everything correctly. Then he stepped out of the way, handing the pen to Rin.

Tucking his shades into the neck of T-shirt, Rin took the pen and the form. He leaned over the table's surface and began filling in the section for a foreign national. " _Tch._ How come I'm the waifu?"

"That's because—"

"Shut up, Haru."

There were ways Rin could get his Japanese nationality back if he wanted to, but he'd have to give up his Australian citizenship to do it. Haru wasn't about to ask him to do that and as far as he was concerned, it didn't really matter much anyways.

Rin straightened when he was finished, passing form and pen to Makoto for filling in the 'witnessed by' section. "I'm surprised under 'Occupation' you didn't write 'Free.'" Rin smirked at him.

Haru frowned. "It's a legal document."

"Have either of you thought about what you'll do for work?" Makoto asked as he wrote.

Rin joined Haru in frowning.

"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Makoto said, smiling. "One thing at a time, I guess?" He straightened, holding up the completed form.

Rin folded his arms and looked away. "Not fishing," he said very quietly.

The mirth drained from the moment, a few seconds silently ticking by.

"No," Haru said, in full agreement.

Makoto's face clouded with regret, obviously wishing he'd never brought up the topic at all.

Haru reached out, curling his fingers around one of Rin's hands and tugging gently. "Rin." He waited until Rin looked at him. "We're not going to lose each other that way." _Not like how your father died._

Rin blinked at him and Haru could almost see the old horrors flashing behind his eyes. Finally, he took a deep breath and nodded, nearly crushing Haru's fingers as he adjusted his grip. "Yeah."

"…I'm sorry," Makoto said softly.

Haru looked at his best friend with empathy.

Rin shook his head, brushing hair behind one ear, not letting go of Haru's hand. "Don't worry about it, Makoto. I…needed to hear him say that."

 _Rin_. Haru felt warmth in his cheeks, emotion tightening his throat. He took the form from Makoto. "We should get in line."

When it was their turn, they went up together while Makoto waited in the back. Haru provided the form for the uniformed clerk to look over.

The clerk's eyes flicked over the paperwork; if she recognized either of their names, she didn't give any indication of it. "Mr. Matsuoka, your passport and affidavit, please."

Rin pulled the required documents from his pocket, handing over the blue passport and unfolding the notarized affidavit required by Japanese law for a foreign national to get married in Japan. The clerk took the documents and opened Rin's passport. She blinked, her eyes widening slightly as she looked up, her gaze flicking across their faces. The clerk cleared her throat quickly and returned her gaze to the documents. She scanned and returned Rin's passport. "Thank you. Everything appears to be in order. Please take a seat and we will call you up once your certificate is ready."

"Thanks." Haru turned, trailing Rin as they headed for the seats in the back where Makoto was waiting.

"This'll be all over the internet by morning," Rin muttered.

"Not my fault. I blend in," Haru said.

Rin shot him a glare.

"How many Asians on the Australian swim team just won three gold medals?"

" _Tch_." Rin dropped into a chair, leaving room for Haru to sit between him and Makoto. "That gold medal money is what'll put food on the table, you know."

Haru sat down and glared back. "Just because _your_ country pays its medalists—"

"You two." Makoto laughed uneasily. "You're already fighting like a married couple." He smiled.

 _A married couple_. The words evaporated Haru's annoyance. He tried to stop the smile that was building inside him, but he couldn't stay mad. Not when he looked at Rin and thought about them being an ordinary married couple.

Rin snorted. "We've been fighting like this for years."

 _Decades_ , Haru thought. _Long before I ever realized…_

"…Mr. Nanase? Mr. Matsuoka?"

They went up to the front and the same clerk passed a sheet of paper to them across the counter. The thick, watermarked page had their names and the official record, with the seal stamped in bright red ink in the lower corner.

"Congratulations," the clerk said, smiling at them.

Haru took the paper reverently, staring at the printed ink that made them an official, registered couple. It was real. It was done. They were _married._

Rin eventually nudged him. "Haru, there's a line."

He tried to say thank you, but only managed to dip his head in a bow as Rin drew him away. Emotion was thick in his throat, blurring his eyes.

Makoto was waiting near the exit. Haru carefully folded the paper and slipped it into his pocket. They stepped out into the humid air and midday sunlight, stopping near the base of the clock tower.

"Congratulations, you two," Makoto said, smiling broadly and looking a little misty-eyed.

"Thanks, Makoto," Rin said.

Haru nodded, looking up at his best friend since childhood… On impulse, he hugged Makoto fiercely.

Makoto laughed lightly, patting his back. "I know, Haru. I'll see you at home, alright?"

Haru stepped back to Rin's side, nodding again.

"I promised the in-laws I'd visit while in town, so I'll see you guys later." Makoto left with a wave.

They waved back, watching him leave.

Rin shoved his hands into his pockets. "Huh. I would've thought Nagisa and the others had some big party planned." He scowled. "Rei probably picked out matching outfits for us."

"I didn't tell them," Haru said. "Only Makoto."

"You didn't…" Rin peered at him, one brow lifted. " _Tch_. Don't tell me you're getting shy _now_."

"It's not that." Haru looked away. "I just don't want to share you right now."

His words hung in the air between them for a moment—

Rin's arm crashed around his shoulder, holding him in a way that was half headlock, half embrace. "Damnit, Haru. What am I supposed to do when you say things like that?" Rin spoke into his hair.

Haru shrugged, feigning ignorance though his face began to burn. "I don't know. Married people things?"

Rin's breath came out roughly, warm against his hair. "…Your place isn't that far from here." The arm around him loosened a little.

He shook his head. "I booked somewhere nice for our first night together. We can go there now if you want." Haru looked back over his shoulder, pausing, his heart knocking in his chest. "Unless you're hungry or something." He watched Rin's eyes glisten a little.

"Our first night together." Rin pried himself from Haru, clearing his throat and hastily donning his sunglasses to cover the emotion gleaming in his eyes. "Yeah, let's get our stuff and go." The shades didn't hide the flush rising in his face.

Haru grabbed Rin's hand and pulled.

-x-

The hotel was on the other side of Tokyo; it took another quick train ride to get there. They rode the elevator to the lobby on the 20th floor, walked through the low murmur of conversing patrons in the cocktail lounge, and checked in at the front desk. Another set of elevators took them to the thirty-fifth floor. Haru led the way down the hall, which was open-air to the lobby below, until he found their room. He unlocked the door with the keycard and let Rin in first. The restroom was on the left, the bed on the right. It wasn't the largest or fanciest room, but the panoramic views of the city through floor-to-ceiling windows were unmatched, from Tokyo Tower all the way to the bay.

Rin dropped his duffle bag and headed for the windows, stripping off his hat and sunglasses. "You can see the port from here. Harumi wharf…"

Haru closed the door, setting his bag down and joining Rin. He met Rin's eyes in the reflection of the glass.

"Haru, I can see where we made that promise."

"…That's why I picked this place."

Rin spun and Haru found himself caged in his husband's arms. His breath caught and he trembled a little—or it was Rin trembling, or maybe both of them. He wrapped his arms around Rin's waist, holding Rin tight like he'd been longing to do all day, like he'd never let go.

At length, Rin drew back, but only far enough to allow their lips to crash together. Haru melted into the kiss, gasping deep in his throat, twisting his fingers into the fabric of Rin's T-shirt. There wasn't a sliver of air between their bodies, just hard muscles shifting beneath clothing and fingertips digging into skin. All of the kisses they'd shared, since Rio and even that night above the wharf, were chaste in comparison.

When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard, warm breaths mingling in the space between their mouths.

"I've been needing to kiss you for hours," Rin said, his cheeks nearly the same shade as his eyes and hair.

"For me, it's been days," Haru said, capturing Rin's lips again. "Weeks. Years…" He was blushing hard as he tugged Rin towards the bed.

-x-

After sunset, they only bothered with one bedside lamp, letting the orange glow of the Tokyo Tower and the city skyline bathe the room. They were sprawled naked on the bed, their hair still wet from the shower, surrounded by discarded towels, clothing, and empty room service trays; finally resting a little.

While Rin sat back against the headboard, surfing the web on a tablet, Haru lay on his stomach towards the foot of the bed with a pillow hugged to his chest, idly flipping through TV channels with the sound off.

There was nothing interesting on—reminding him why he didn't even own a TV back in Iwatobi. He bypassed news and movies, the variety shows and 'pay to watch' channels— A field of deep, crystalline blue stopped him. Haru stared, mesmerized, watching the undulating water, the pod of sleek, gray dolphins leaping together through the waves—

"Haru. _Haru_." Rin kicked him in the ankle.

"What?" He didn't turn from the screen.

" _Tch_. I've been calling your name for over a minute. How about Ko Yao Noi for our honeymoon?"

He didn't know where that was, but it sounded far. "I don't like flying. It's irritating."

A fluffy pillow struck the back of his head. Haru frowned. "I mean, if you want to, I guess."

Rin made a noise Haru associated with eye rolling. Seconds later, Rin flopped down onto his back.

Haru grunted as the sudden, extra weight pressed him into the bed. "Rin—"

Rin held the tablet in front of his face, blocking his view of the TV. On it was a picture of an infinity pool at sunset, on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The water was as smooth as glass, a perfect reflection of the sky.

Rin's breath tickled his ear. "We can stay at a villa with a private pool."

Haru stared at the image, his lower lip quivering. _Rin plus water_. "Damnit," he muttered. "I love you, Rin. When can we go?"

Rin laughed and tossed the tablet aside, hugging him instead.

* * *

Iwatobi – Late September, 2024

* * *

They didn't tell anyone at first when they returned from Thailand, slipping into town unnoticed off the train. Rin wanted to visit his father's grave before they did anything else. It would, undoubtedly, become a circus the very instant the others knew they were back.

Side-by-side, they followed the dirt path up the hill to the seaside cliff where the Matsuoka family grave stood just on the edge of the trees. A refreshing wind blew down from the mountains, carrying bright late-summer leaves down to the bay and slightly alleviating the heat.

Haru waited off to the side with their bags as Rin continued on, stopping in front of the granite monument. He watched the breeze sift through Rin's hair and flutter the fabric of his T-shirt and pants. They were both bronzed from two weeks in the sun and…relaxed. Haru had never seen Rin so at ease in all the time they'd known each other as these past few weeks. When Rin reached up to tuck some hair behind his ear, the sun glinted off the gold band on his finger—matching rings they'd bought abroad.

Haru knew a transition was coming, as they tried to adjust to ordinary life and figure out what that looked like for the two of them. But he wasn't worried. Being together, finally—that was all he needed.

Standing in front of the monument, Rin slipped his hands into his pockets. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. Haru wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but he was close enough that he couldn't not.

"I get it now, Father," Rin said, rocking back on his heels with his eyes closed, face turned towards the sky. "You didn't give up on your dream for Mom, Gou, and me. You set that dream aside…because you found something better."

Haru's breath caught, trapped in his throat.

"I finally understand." Rin pulled something from his pocket and knelt. Sunlight flashed off the gold medallion with its Parisian lanyard as he laid it against the stone. He straightened, touching the monument and pausing for a moment more.

 _Rin._ The form walking back to him was a blur of colors. Haru blinked back the tears, dropping Rin's duffle bag to the ground. Rin smiled knowingly, his eyes equally heavy with emotion. They came together in a fierce embrace as familiar sea salt breezes brushed against them.

* * *

A/Ns: Japan (at least currently) does not allow dual citizenship. So for Rin to swim for the Australian national team in the Olympics in this story, he had to give up Japanese citizenship when he got Australian citizenship.

Also, same-sex marriage isn't currently legalized in Japan; same-sex partnerships are recognized in certain cities/wards. But maybe by 2024!


End file.
